Page 476
An.1688
The W. Coast. Achin Harbour.
came from one of these Coco-nut Islands that we past by, and was laden with Coco-nuts, and Go- co-nut Oil. Captain Read ordered his men to take aboard all the Nuts, and as much of the Oyl as he thought convenient, and then cut a hole in the bottom of the Proe, and turned her loose, keeping the men Prisoners.
It was not for the lucre of the Cargo, that Captain Read took this Boat, but to hinder me and some others from going ashore ; for he knew that we were ready to make our escapes, if an opportunity presented it self ; and he thought, that by his abusing and robbing the Natives, we should be afraid to trust our selves among them. But yet this proceeding of his turned to our great advantage, as shall be declared hereafter.
May the ist, we ran down by the North West end of the Island Sumatra, within 7 or 8 leagues of the shore. All this West side of Sumatra which we thus coafted along, our Englishmen at Fort St. George, call the West Coast, simply ; without adding the name of Sumatra. The Prisoners who were taken the day before, shewed us the Islands that lye off of Achin Harbour, and the Channels through which Ships go in ; and told us also that there was an English Factory at Achin. I wisht my self there, but was forced to wait with patience till my time was come.
We were now directing our course towards the Nicobar Islands, intending there to clean the Ship's bottom, in order to make her sail well.
The 4th day in the evening, we had sight of one of the Nicobar Islands. The Southermost of them lies about 40 leagues N. N. W. from rhe N. W. end of the Island Sumatra. This most Southerly of them is Nicobar it self, but all the cluster of Islands lying South of the Audeman Islands are called by our Seamen the Nicobar Islands.
The